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Three top prospects included in Miami-Toronto deal

Three top prospects included in Miami-Toronto deal

MLB.com's Pete McCarthy and Jonathan Mayo discuss the four prospects acquired by the Marlins in their blockbuster trade with the Blue Jays

By Jonathan Mayo
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MLB.com |

The Toronto Blue Jays got quite a haul from the Miami Marlins at the big league level, but they did have to dig into their deep farm system to make a deal. Toronto dealt three members of its top 10 prospects, all in the top 10, to bring in the big leaguers from Miami. Here's some more information on that triumvirate:

Jake Marisnick, OF: Toronto's No. 2 prospect and No. 35 overall on the Top 100, the 2009 third-round pick reached Double-A in 2012 at age 21. He had a huge full-season debut in '11, finishing second in the Midwest League in average (.320) and fourth in OPS (.888). His '12 production didn't match that, but he showed enough in Dunedin to earn a promotion to the Eastern League in early July. While he scuffled after getting promoted, he was finishing up his stay in the Arizona Fall League very strongly. His many tools should allow him to hit for average and power while continuing to be a base-stealing threat. He has the skills to play center field, and now without Anthony Gose in his way, he could stay there for the Marlins, though he could also profile well in right.

Justin Nicolino, LHP: The Jays' No. 5 prospect at the time of the trade (No. 86 overall), Nicolino has advanced pitchabiilty skills, looking more like a college draftee than the high school pick he was in the second round of the 2010 Draft. He has plenty of stuff to go with his pitching know-how, with a fastball he can run into the low 90s. He complements that with a breaking ball and changeup, and he was able to use both in the Midwest League in '12, leading the full-season circuit in ERA (2.46) and finishing seventh in strikeouts (119). He turns 21 on Thursday, so he's ahead of the curve in many ways and could start moving more quickly through the Marlins' system in '13.

Adeiny Hechavarria, SS: Hechavarria was the Jays' No. 7 prospect, and the Cuban defector is ready for a full-time shot at the big leagues, especially after an extended visit late in 2012. There's never been any question about his glove, with plus defensive tools across the board. That and his speed on both sides of the ball should help the 23-year-old stay in the big leagues. The question has always been how much he'll hit at the highest level, though he's shown more than enough production over parts of two seasons in Triple-A to prove he has nothing left to do in the Minors. With his defensive skills, he doesn't have to hit a ton, but he should be able to provide enough to be an every day shortstop, something that very well could happen in Miami in 2013.

Jonathan Mayo is a reporter for MLB.com and writes a blog, B3. Follow @JonathanMayoB3 on Twitter. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.